261017 (MG) Specialist Pharmacist

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Specialist Pharmacist
Older People’s Mental Health

NHS Lothian Pharmacy & Medicines Service

Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside

Band 7 | Permanent | 1.0 WTE | 36 hours

£52,845 - £61,466

including on-call and public holidays commitment

About the Role

We have an exciting opportunity for a motivated and enthusiastic pharmacist to join our friendly and supportive Mental Health Pharmacy team. Based at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital (REH), this role offers the opportunity to further develop your clinical and hospital pharmacy experience within both inpatient and outpatient services.

As the Specialist Clinical Pharmacist for Older People’s Mental Health, you will:

• Deliver a clinical pharmacy service to one or more Older People’s Mental Health wards, including participating in consultant-led ward rounds.
• Work closely with multidisciplinary teams to optimise patient care.
• Develop and deliver clinical pharmacy support to the Older People’s Mental Health Community Mental Health Teams and outpatient clinics.
• Contribute to the education and supervision of trainee pharmacists, undergraduate students, and band 6 pharmacists.
• Develop your practice in line with the Royal College of Pharmacy Advanced Pharmacy Practice Curriculum, working towards and achieving credentialling as part of your professional development.
• Contribute to the on-call rota and be willing to work public holidays.

Why Join Us?

This is an ideal role for a pharmacist seeking to specialise or grow within mental health services. At REH, you will be part of a valued and experienced team with strong links across NHS Lothian’s wider pharmacy network.

You will benefit from:

• Mentorship and support from senior colleagues.
• Opportunities for independent prescribing training and postgraduate study.
• Involvement in quality improvement and service development projects.
• A diverse and rewarding patient-focused environment.

About you

We’re looking for someone with:

Essential Qualifications and Experience:

• A Master of Pharmacy Degree (or equivalent).
• Registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
• Completed training or equivalent competence mapped to RPS Post-Registration Foundation Pharmacist Curriculum.

Experience and Knowledge:

• Experience in proactively influencing prescribing, using clinical knowledge to optimise patient care.
• A strong patient-focused approach, with the ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary team.
• Excellent communication and problem-solving skills, enabling effective decision-making in an acute medical setting.
• A proactive attitude, with a commitment to continuous learning and professional development.
• A strong alignment with NHS Lothian’s values and a willingness to contribute.

Experience in mental health is desirable, but we also welcome applications from pharmacists with transferable clinical skills and a strong interest in this specialty.

About NHS Lothian

At NHS Lothian, we are committed to fostering equality, diversity, and inclusion in our workforce. Serving a population of 900,000, we are the second-largest health system in Scotland and home to one of its four teaching boards. Join a dynamic organisation that values innovation, research, and excellence in healthcare delivery.

The vision for the Pharmacy & Medicines Service is to deliver clinically led, person-centred services to ensure patients across Lothian get the best from their medicines. We are focused on creating an environment where each person in the team can flourish, develop, and make best use of their skills.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

For further information on what is included in the role and the skills/experience we’re looking for, please refer to the job description and person specification linked below. However, we understand that there's only so much a job pack can convey. If you’d like to learn more about this exciting role, the team you’ll be joining, or the opportunities available, we warmly encourage you to get in touch with the hiring managers for an informal discussion.

For further information, please contact:
Fiona Mack, Advanced Clinical Pharmacist
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Paul Maguiness, Lead Pharmacist
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As from 1st April 2026, the Agenda for Change full-time working week will be reducing from 37 to 36 hours per week. Part time hours will be reduced pro-rata. However, there will be a corresponding increase in the hourly rate so that pay will not be affected.

We will fully support disabled candidates, and candidates with long-term conditions or who are neurodivergent by making reasonable adjustments to our recruitment policy and practices.

To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigrations Service. Further information on what NHS Scotland Boards are required to check this as well as what your responsibilities include can be found in the further information for this vacancy.

This post requires the post holder to have a PVG Scheme membership/record. If the post holder is not a current PVG member for the required regulatory group (i.e. child and/or adult) then an application will need to be made to Disclosure Scotland and deemed satisfactory before they can begin in post.

Due to legislative changes from 1 April 2025, this post may require a different level of criminal records check done than is currently the case. If the post is assessed as a "regulated role", your appointment will be subject to joining the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme. If there is any change to what is currently required, this will be confirmed by either the Hiring Manager or the Recruitment Team. For more details on these changes please visit: Disclosure Scotland Changes.

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